Customer Reviews

Pete Frame's Rock family trees

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When you start getting really serious about music, listening to it stops being enough: you need to learn about the band, the members, the changes, the bios, the history behind it all... Pete Frame, in the course of some 15 years compiled this magnificently complex printed documentary that includes the family trees and evolution of most every rock band you can think of dated before 1993 (too bad this was the last edition of this book, which now also happens to be out of print!)

The beauty about the book is that it ties together bands that had a relatively close evolution, such as the case of Roxy Music and King Crimson, for example, who "touched" each other's paths when former Crimson's bass/voice John Wetton landed on Roxy Music #5's album, alongside Phil Manzanera, Bryan Ferry and the crew (the # refers to the nomenclature Frame uses to list the different incarnations of a band). In short, if you can get your hands on a used copy of the book (which is the only way to go about it these days), by all means do so: you will be provided with hours and hours of discovery of musical facts!

An exhaustive look at the twists and turns of band members in some of the most important (and some of the most marginal) bands in rock history, thus providing the history of the genre through its participants -- which makes you think how chancy the whole enterprise has been. (If so-and-so hadn't bumped into so-and-so . . .) Frame obviously has a love for his subject and a love for detail, as indicated in the meticulous charts, with very small type (or draghtsman's handwriting, actually) abounding. If there's a problem with the book, it's that it effectively ends in 1980. I'm sure Frame is working on more, if he's still out there. Whattya say, Pete? More!

If you are a little (or a lot) compulsive about rock music, especially English rock of the sixties and seventies, this book will appeal to you. It explores, via graphic and textual connections, the geneaolgy and development of thousands of bands, from the Yardbirds to the Ramones, from their garage days to fame and fortune. Lovingly and lavishly researched, written and drawn, this tome contains interviews and facts that only Mr. Frame could have produced. A labor of love, and essential for any scholar of rock history, and a thumping good read, too. Hours of fascinating enjoyment.

This is the most frequently referred-to book I own. Its wealth of detail can keep you entertained - and informed - for many hours. While it is rather dated, most pages being drawn in 1978 and 1982, it still provides a phenomenal amount of information on the bands of the time.

I became aware of Rock Family Trees, by Pete Frame, after seeing the BBC television series of the same name. I am fascinated by the "Whatever happened to?" syndrome - especially with regard to musicians. Pete Frame's book is perfect for anyone who is interested in how rock music has developed and evolved and, in particular, in the roles played by individual musicians as they move from one group to another. Unlike many books on the general "history of music" theme, Frame's masterpiece comprises of a number of large hand-drawn family trees charting the progress of numerous bands through their various line-ups until, in so many cases, they eventually disappear or mutate into something different. So, if you would like to know what happened to a particular artist or what the line up of your favourite band was at a particular time in your long-lost youth, this is the book for you. Unfortunately, at the time of writing the book is out of print but keep your eyes peeled because if the TV series is re-run there may well be a new edition.

Hi, I`ve been listening to Music for a long time now and went through a lot of different styles and moods.
Two months ago my girlfriend bought me this book and I am most pleased to research again and again through all the small and big events that marked the best era of Rockmusic.
Through Pete I`ve learned that the picture on the front cover of Airplanes Surrealistic Pillow was taken at the Matrix. Way to go!!
I just don`t know if, by mentioning that Zeppelin never released a single, Pete was refering only to the UK ..? Because in the States the monsterpiece Whole Lotta Love came out as a single in Nov. 69. But I`m just a reader!
Thank you Pete!!!

And I thought I knew everything about the Stones: who was in the original band and what happened to them, where Mick Taylor went A.S. (after Stones). But I didn't. And the Stones have one of the shortest entries in this book - relatively speaking, there haven't been that many changes in the Stones. Now look at the permutations Fleetwood Mac or Fairport Convention went through over the years!

Great book for rock trivia. Who, why, and especially when. Just what any music trivia expert loves. And its great to use in conunction with Napster or Morpheus!!

I have this book and also volume 2 published in 1983. They are frequently used by myself and friends how remember the glory days of pop / rock music, thats 1963 to 1975 by the way!!!!! Pete Frame did a fantastic job.

It wasn't what I would call 'good condition' - I had to spend half an hour uncreasing pages and the corners were quite battered

A+++ Great bargain for a fairly hard to find book. The price was right and it made before Christmas too. Thanks!